How to Clean a Burnt Stainless Steel Pan (the Pan Maker’s Own Way)

Step by step

1. 1

   Scrape out what comes loose

   Once the pan is cool, use a wooden spoon to push out any food that lifts easily. Dump it in the trash, not the sink. Do not scrub yet, because the boil in the next steps does the hard part for you.

2. 2

   Cover the burnt spots with baking soda

   Sprinkle baking soda over the burnt area in a thick, even layer, so you cannot see the black underneath. All-Clad’s own directions say to sprinkle it “generously,” and that is the right word here.

3. 3

   Add water and bring it to a boil

   Pour in enough water to cover the burnt area. Set the pan on the burner and bring it to a boil. This is the first half of All-Clad’s method for burnt food.

1. 4

   Loosen the burnt bits with a wooden spoon

   Work a wooden spoon across the burnt spots to loosen them from the steel. That is how All-Clad finishes its baking soda boil. Made In calls a wooden spoon a non-abrasive tool, so it will not scratch the pan the way a metal spatula can.

2. 5

   Cool, pour out and wash

   Turn off the heat and let the pan cool until you can hold it comfortably. Pour the water out, then wash the pan with warm water, dish soap and a nylon or non-scratch scrub pad.

3. 6

   Rinse and dry it right away

   Rinse with warm water and dry the pan with a towel right away. All-Clad says drying right after rinsing prevents spotting. If marks are still there, go to “When it will not work” below.

When it will not work, and what to do instead

Some burns are stubborn, and some marks are not burns at all. Here is how to tell them apart and what to do.

• Burnt spots are still stuck. Made In says that when a mess is stubborn, you can start over with a 1 to 1 mix of white vinegar and water. Bring it to a boil and scrape with a wooden spoon. Turn on your stove fan, because boiling vinegar smells strong, and rinse the pan well after.
• Brown marks that will not budge. All-Clad names Bar Keepers Friend as a cleanser for burnt fat and charred food. Wet the pan, sprinkle on a small amount and rub gently with a wet nylon pad. Bar Keepers Friend says to leave it on no longer than one minute and to rinse thoroughly after.
• Rainbow or blue colors. That is not dirt. Made In explains that the chromium in stainless steel reacts to high heat, and All-Clad says the color change will not affect how the pan performs. Wipe it with white vinegar on a soft cloth or sponge.
• Chalky white spots or a white film. Made In says those are calcium deposits from hard tap water. All-Clad and Made In both say to boil a 1 to 1 mix of white vinegar and water in the pan. Made In says to use distilled white vinegar only, because flavored vinegars have sugar that can burn on.
• Tiny pits on the bottom. All-Clad says to add salt only after the water boils or the food starts cooking, to avoid pitting. It also says pitting does not interfere with cooking.
• The pan is nonstick, aluminum or cast iron. This page is for stainless steel only. Nonstick has its own rules.

Why it works

Here is what is going on in that pan. Burnt food and fat are stuck tight to the steel, and they need help letting go.

Baking soda is a mild alkali (the opposite of an acid, like vinegar). The American Cleaning Institute explains that an alkali is what turns fat into soap. The boil keeps hot, alkaline water right on the burnt spots, a little like soaking a dried-on oatmeal bowl, only hotter.

The wooden spoon matters as much as the baking soda. It is firm enough to push the loosened layer off, and soft enough that it will not scratch the steel underneath.

Every one of us has walked away from a pot for one minute and come back to that smell. Your first thought is that the pan is ruined, and it almost never is.